Gumbumpers, today we thought we’d bring to you a cool and inspiring story. It’s an Indiegogo project that we support. As you know Indiegogo is a crowd funding site that helps innovators by allowing people like you and me to help them by financially backing their ideas. The funds help people to get their products developed and/or to market.

Beautifully designed timepieces using premium selvedge denim on both the dial and straps

I had the opportunity to bump gums with our friend, the developer Shane on what inspired him to develop his own line of watches and what it took to get there. Pretty interesting stuff!

Once you see the pictures of the various HAUTE styles from this line there is no doubt that you will love them. I know I’ve never seen a denim watch look this GOOD!!!! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. 🙂

Peep the interview:

Please tell us who you are and your age.

I’m Shane, 27, from Dublin Ireland. I have lived and worked in China for the last 4 years and am currently based in Shanghai.

What does Garibaldi mean?

Garibaldi strives to bridge the gap between luxury and more affordable streetwear styles. All watches feature Japanese selvedge denim on the dial and straps. We are a brand for creatives embracing a lifestyle where you pursue your true goals.

What inspired you to create a brand of watches?

The watch is the ultimate accessory that has been reinvented and redefined time and time again. I have always loved and collected watches but I found it difficult to find a timepiece that was both fashionable and affordable. So I decided to create my own.

Who helped with the designing of the watches?

I actually designed the watches myself. My first goal was to create a quality handmade timepiece that was practical enough for everyday wear. When designing the watches I wanted one to be industrial and edgy in design (our 42mm men’s watch) and the other to be sleek, minimalistic and evocative (our unisex 38mm watch). I drew the designs by hand, had a designer make the renders and also 3D printed the initial prototype casings to make sure I was happy with the design in person.

A big selling point of our watches is the double locking deployment clasp that allows for an effortless wear. Whether you like to wear your watch tight or with room to breathe, once you’ve first adjusted the strap you’ll never need to tweak it again. This is a feature usually only found on higher-end watches, but we’ve managed to add it on without hiking up the price.

How do you want someone to feel when they wear a Garibaldi watch?

I hope that people will be really impressed with the quality, comfort and style of the watch.

How did you determine your watch price point?

Our philosophy is simple – style and quality don’t have to cost a fortune. We want to work direct to consumer and therefore cut out a lot of the middle man mark ups in price.

Who are you targeting with your brand?

We are targeting young urbanites (18-35 year olds) who appreciate style and craftsmanship.

What is selvedge denim?

Unlike regular denim that can easily fray at the edges, selvedge denim is constructed in a slower, more precise method that prevents it from unraveling and curling.

Japanese selvedge denim has a reputation among denim enthusiasts as being the best in the world and for good reason. Japanese denim is known for its premium construction and the skilled, artisanal craft required to make it, which is why we have chosen it for our watches.

Was it a hard process getting your brand off the ground?

Yes, for sure. I have been developing this watch for well over a year now and it took a lot of trial and error before we found the optimal way of getting the denim on the dial. In addition, the fact that I launched the brand myself meant I had bootstrap the business and make sure that every dollar spent was put to work.

What was the most challenging part to creating your own watch brand?

The watch market is a very saturated and it is difficult to get noticed when you are trying to bootstrap your business. But I really believe that the quality of our watches will stand us well, especially versus other watches at our price point.

What makes a Garibaldi watch stand out among other watches on the market?

There seems to be new watch brands starting every other day but what makes our watches unique is the quality of design (no other watch has Japanese denim on the dial) and colour. We incorporate both deep-toned and vibrant denims into our timepieces and they will definitely catch the eye.

What do you hope to accomplish?

I hope to have a successful launch and that our customers will be happy with their purchase. I would love to collaborate with independent designers in the future to create new and off-the-wall timepieces and accessories.

I plan to stay in Asia for the foreseeable future as there is so much opportunity here. I hope to grow the Garibaldi brand and constantly innovate to stay ahead of the game.

What would you tell an aspiring designer who was interested in creating their own watch brand?

Know your target audience and get them involved in the development stages of the watch. If your target audience feel that they were in some way involved in creating the watch they will feel much more obliged to buy it.

Check out the designs up close and personal on Indiegogo. Then you can make your choice on the watch you’ve just gotta ADD to your collection of exclusive timepieces.

GumBumper.com contains published rumors, speculation, assumptions, opinions, as well as factual information and worldwide celebrity news.
Information on this site may or may not be true and not meant to be taken as fact. GumBumper.com makes no warranty as to the validity of any claims.
Our pages are updated daily so you're always in the know with what's going on in pop culture news. Enjoy!!